It's a long way from Mounties in Sydney's south-west to becoming NSW's 1000th player at the MCG.
But that's exactly the journey Blues prop Paul Vaughan will complete inside two years in Wednesday night's State of Origin series opener.
A revelation at the Dragons in the past year-and-a-half, it's easy to forget that Vaughan was struggling to find a spot in Canberra's NRL team in the back half of 2016.
The hulking front rower even spent time in reserve grade at Mounties that year before he signed with the Dragons the following season and turned his career around.
"It is (an amazing ride)," he said.
"That's why I'm really taking it in at the moment and enjoying it. Obviously my first camp. It's a dream come true.
"I believe everything happens for a reason. I went up to the Saints and got an opportunity there and haven't looked back."
Vaughan is one of several players in Wednesday's clash to have played reserve grade in the past two years, including Ben Hunt and Latrell Mitchell who were both at one stage dropped.
But that seems a distant memory now for the front-rower.
He was easily the Dragons' best forward last year, leading the way with 10 linebreaks and prompting calls for him to be a bolter in the Blues 2017 team.
But the closest he could get was a phone call from then-coach Laurie Daley to tell him he needed to be consistent for a longer period, advice he has since heeded.
"I was a little bit disappointed last year," he admitted.
"But I still thought I had a little bit to work on ... I just really wanted to make the team (this year).
"Coming into this year I just used it as a force and means to try and drive myself to try and make the team. I'm stoked I'm here now, it's all paid off."
Vaughan's selection - alongside Dragons teammates Jack de Belin and Tyson Frizell - makes him the 1000th player to pull on the NSW jersey, dating back to well before the Origin concept.
"I just put it back to Mary McGregor too, who has put a lot of focus and belief in me. I just wanted to repay him and the club. I guess you could put it down to him and the club.
"I'm proud of everything I've accomplished."
